The present invention relates in general to surgical instruments, and in particular, to a curved surgical needle used for tissue wound closure and in particular, suturing together an incision made in human or animal tissue during ophthalmic or other types of microsurgery.
For decades, various types and configurations of surgical needles having suture material attached thereto in a variety of ways, have been used for purposes of closing incisions made during various types of surgery. Among such prior art surgical needles are U.S. Pat. Nos.: 856,686; 1,592,897; 2,591,063; 2,811,157; 2,869,550; 3,094,123; 3,160,157; 3,238,942; 3,556,953; and 3,799,769.
Few, if any, such conventional suturing needles have attempted to address the problem of facilitating the passage of the tail portion of such a needle through the tissue being sutured. Moreover, such prior art surgical needles have not successfully addressed the problem of facilitating rotation of a knotted suture so as to "bury" the knot below the surface of the tissue, thereby reducing anticipated, perceived and actual irritation of surrounding tissue.
It is such an object of the present invention to provide a surgical suturing needle having a construction which facilitates passage of the needle, and in particular, the tail portion thereof having the suturing material emanating therefrom which is normally the area encountering the most resistance, through the tissue being sutured.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide a surgical suturing needle having a construction serving to provide a track through the tissue being sutured which facilitates passage of the suturing material therethrough, while minimizing the trauma caused to the surrounding tissue.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a surgical suturing needle having a construction which facilitates rotation of a knotted suture so as to "bury" the knot below the surface of the tissue, to thereby overcome the reluctance or inability of many surgeons to perform such a desired surgical technique which reduces the risk of rupturing the surrounding tissue or tearing the suture.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a surgical suturing needle having a construction wherein the body portion of the needle between the point and the tail is devoid of cutting surfaces so as to enable the tissue being sutured to momentarily recover after the shock of being pierced by the tip of the needle before radial incisions are made by blades mounted proximate the tail of the suturing needle.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a surgical suturing needle construction which is relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification and drawings.